Ore minerals Short Courses IMPORTANT ORE MINERALS Most elements need to be concentrated into amounts that can be economically mined from ore deposits (usually hundreds to thousands of times their crustal abundance). This concentration is usually accomplished by dissolution of the element by hot water (hydrothermal ore deposits - gold, silver, lead), preferential crystallization from magmas (chromite deposits or pegmatites), surface weathering and leaching (aluminum, nickel, copper), or gravity separation of minerals during erosion (gold, diamonds, titanium). In the majority of cases there are only one or two minerals that provide all of a particular element for commercial uses. Some elements in low concentrations (substituting in minor amounts for the major elements) are associated with minerals that are mined for other elements, but the shear volumes of materials that are processed result in a valuable byproduct (i e. elements associated with copper, lead, and zinc ores). Some elements are so valuable that almost any mineral containing that element in sufficient grades can be mined (gold, silver, platinum group). ELEMENTS Aluminum - The ore is mined from rocks that have been exposed to weathering in a tropical environment, bauxite.

The main ore minerals in bauxite are gibbsite, bohmeite, and diaspore. Antimony - The primary ore of antimony is it's sulfide, stibnite. Arsenic - Recovered from other metal processing streams (primarily from the sulfosalts such as tennantite etc.). Arsenopyrite is the most common arsenic mineral. The relatively low demand for arsenic as compared to the amount of arsenic mined that is associated with other metals means it can be supplied from the waste streams of other ore processing. Barium - The chief source of barium is barite with minor production of witherite. Beryllium - The major ore mineral for beryllium in the U.S. is bertrandite while worldwide the major source is from pegmatites that contain beryl. Bismuth - Primarily a byproduct of lead processing. Also found in a number of minerals such as bismuthinite and as a constituent in various sulfosalts. Boron - Chief source is playa lake deposits of borax, colemanite, kernite, ulexite. Bromine - Chief sources are brines from wells and Dead Sea.

Cadmium - Unlike many other commodities cadmium is produced as a byproduct of zinc (sphalerite) mining. Cesium - The major ore mineral is pollucite, a pegmatite mineral. Production and use of this metal is extremely small (a few thousand kilograms per year). Chlorine - Produced from the mineral halite (rock salt). Chromium - The chief source is the mineral chromite which is found in large layered intrusives and serpentine bodies. Cobalt - The primary minerals for cobalt is cobaltite. Some cobalt is also produced from weathered tropical orebodies. Columbium (see Niobium) Copper - Most copper ore bodies are mined from minerals created by weathering of the primary copper ore mineral chalcopyrite. Minerals in the enriched zone include chalcocite, bornite, djurleite. Minerals in the oxidized zones include malachite, azurite, chyrsocolla, cuprite, tenorite, native copper and brochantite. Gallium - A byproduct of zinc and alumina processing. Some primary "ore" may contain up to 200 ppm. Ga.

Germanium - A byproduct of zinc ore processing. Also a deposit in China is associated with coal. Gold - The primary mineral of gold is the native metal and electrum (a gold-silver alloy). Some tellurides are also important ore minerals such as calaverite, sylvanite, and petzite. Hafnium - Primary ore mineral is zircon. Indium - Primarily is a byproduct of zinc processing. Iodine - Initial production was from seaweed. Iodine is extracted from natural gas field brines (up to 1200 ppm iodine in the brines). Iron - Two major minerals in the production of iron are it's oxides, hematite and magnetite. These are found in preCambrian iron formations. Historically there was also production from goethite and siderite. The iron sulfides (pyrite and pyrrhotite) were not used as iron sources due to the difficulty of removing sulfur from the metals and the brittleness this sulfur caused in the metal. Lead - The primary ore mineral for lead is it's sulfide - galena. Some minor production from the past has come from secondary lead minerals - cerussite and anglesite.

Lithium - The former primary ore minerals were pegmatite deposits of spodumene, lepidolite, and petalite, amblygonite. Currently the major U. S. production is from lithium carbonate brines. Magnesium - Although magnesium is found in many minerals, only dolomite, magnesite, brucite, carnallite, and olivine are of commercial importance. Magnesium and other magnesium compounds are also produced from seawater, well and lake brines and bitterns. Manganese - The primary ores are oxides/hydroxides of manganese which include minerals such as hausmannite, pyrolusite, braunite, manganite, etc. and the carbonate, rhodochrosite. A large potential source is the deep sea manganese nodules. Mercury - The main ore is the sulfide, cinnabar. Molybdenum - The primary ore mineral is molybdenite. Nickel - The primary nickel ores are pentlandite, nickel bearing pyrrhotite and a weathering product, garnierite (a mixture of nÃ©pouite, pecoraite and willemseite).

Niobium (Columbium) - The primary ore mineral is pyrochlore with minor columbite and tantalite-columbite. Phosphorus - Main ore minerals are in the apatite group of minerals (hydroxylapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite). Platinum group (Platinum, Osmium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Palladium) - The primary ores are the native elements or alloys of the various elements or arsenides such as sperrylite. They tend to occur in layered intrusives associated with chromite deposits. Potassium (potash) - The primary ore minerals are sylvite (primarily), brines, and langbeinite. Rare Earth elements (cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanium, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, yttrium) The major ore minerals containing rare earth elements are bastnasite, monazite, and loparite and the lateritic ion-adsorption clays. Major U.S.

production of bastnesite is from Mountain Pass, California. Rhenium - Produced as a byproduct of molybdenite. Rubidium - Substitutes for potassium in lepidolite and pollucite. Production is small (a few thousand kilograms per year). Scandium (see Rare Earth) Ores of Common Metals Collection - US Geological Supply Printable version Ores of Common Metals Collection The term "ore" is used in connection with a rock or mineral mass when it contains enough of an element or compound to make it economically feasible to mine. 15 specimens of the more important ores are included. Approximately 1 1/2". A mineral or rock, which contains enough of a chemical element to make it economically feasible to mine, is called an ore. Ore is used in describing rocks containing a metallic element or elements, and may be used in connection with nonmetallic substances. In nature the ore minerals are found in veins or in deposits in association with rocks of little or no value. In native ores the valuable element is found free as an element. Gold, silver, platinum and copper may occur as elements.

More commonly the element to be recovered is chemically combined with sulfur, oxygen, carbon, silicon or other elements and must be separated from them. The separation of the desired element is done by roasting, smelting, electrolysis or various chemical treatments. The collection contains: 1. Bauxite - Product of leaching from aiuminum bearing rocks in tropics. Other Sources: diaspore, gibbsite, boehmite, and cryolite Sources of Copper 2. Chalcopyrite - Occurs in hydrothermal veins and replacement deposits. 3. Malachite - Occurs in oxidized copper veins as a supergene mineral. Other Sources: native copper, chalcocite, bornite, cuprite, chrysocolla, azurite Sources of Iron 4. Pyrite - Pyrite is formed in high and low temp, igneous & metamorphic rocks. 5. Hematite - Large deposits are formed by leaching or iron bearing rocks. 6. Magnetite - Occurs in large beds and lenses in metamorphic rocks. 7. Limonite -A weathered product of iron minerals. 8. Pyrrhotite - Found in deposits associated with basic igneous rocks. 9.

Siderite - Occurs in concentric layers in shale and clay formations. Other Sources: goethite 10. Galena - Found in hydrothermal veins. Other Sources: cerussite, anglesite, vanadinite, and wulfenite Caution: This sample contains a mineral known as galena, a naturally occurring lead compound. Avoid consuming or inhaling. Wash hands thoroughly after handling all rock or mineral samples. Sources of Magnesium 11. Dolomite - Replacement mineral after limestone in sedimentary strata. Other Sources: magnesite, carnallite, and brucite Sources of Manganese 12. Pyrolusite - Develops in deposits from sea floors and lake bottoms. Other Sources: manganite, franklinite, rhodochrosite, and rhodonite Sources of Tin 13. Cassiterite - Found near granitic rocks in hydrothermal veins. Sources of Zinc 14. Sphalerite - Occurs in replacement deposits and hydrothermal veins. Other Sources: smithsonite, hemimorphite, franklinite, and wiliemite Alloys 15.

Beryl - Found in granitic rocks and pegmatites. Other Examples: molybdenite Copper, Azurite, Malachite, Rhodocrosite, Chrysocolla Rhodocrosite Top My small collection of minerals contains five species, all of which were removed from the copper mines of Butte, Montanna during the 1950's. Of these five species, native copper, the copper carbonates azurite and malachite, and the amorphous copper silicate chrysocolla are copper-bearing substances. Rhodocrosite ( MnCO2 ) is, like azurite and malachite, a carbonate mineral. However, rhodocrosite is an ore of manganese rather than copper. Copper ( Cu ) is a native metal which has long been utilized by humans as a natural resource. The crystalline lattice of this mineral contains only elemental copper and its structure is derived from metallic bonds. Like all metals, native copper is dense, soft, malleable, and ductile. It conducts well. It is opaque and demonstrates the shiny, highly reflective luster typical of metals. In color it is the familiar, rosy copper red; it possesses a red streak.

Exposed surfaces may tarnish to black oxide or green carbonate. Native copper possesses a face-centered cubic lattice, which is the most dense and symmetric of all possible crystalline structures. It is of the isometric or cubic crystal system. Individual copper crystals may may be of cubic, dodecahedral, tetrahedral, and very rarely of octahedral shape. Aggregates of crystals may be wiry in habit or form a dendritic, arborescent branching structure. Mineral specimens demonstrating whole individual crystals and well-formed crystal faces are relatively rare. The two minerals azurite ( ), and the copper cation ( Cu2+ ). Azurite is royal blue or brilliant blue in color while malachite may be bright to dark green. The coloration in both species is idiochromatic and is due to the presence of copper, which is a chromophore and possesses a strong pigmenting effect. Malachite's green results from the fact that the copper which it contains is more highly oxidized than that of azurite. Aggregates of crystals of both species are frequently botryoidal or mammillary in habit. Large individual crystals of malachite are rare.

More commonly the mineral occurs in rings, bands, and concentric layers composed of varying shades of green. Both azurite and malachite occur as earthy, incrusted masses. Rhodocrosite ( MnCO3 ) is member of the carbonate class and an ore of manganese. Its characteristic rose pink or red color is idiochromatic and is due to the presence of the chromophore manganese ( Mn ). Rhodocrosite is translucent and will transmit light diffusely; it possesses a vitreous or pearly luster. Like azurite and malachite, rhodocrosite is a member of the carbonate class. However, rhodocrosite contains neither water ( H2O ) nor the hydroxyl anion ( OH- ) and is therefore not a hydrous carbonate. Instead it is a member of the calcite group. Rhodocrosite is like all calcite minerals a member of the rhombohedral crystal system. Rhodocrosite's cleavage is perfect in three directions and provides external indication of its rhombohedral internal structure.

Crystals are rare but may be rhombohedral in shape; more typically the mineral demonstrates botryoidal, encrusting habit. The hydrous silicate chrysocolla ( Cu2H2Si2O5(OH)4 ) is an ore of copper. Chrysocolla is a hydrous or basic copper silicate because it contains the hydroxyl anion ( OH- ). This species is not a true mineral and does not possess a crystalline lattice. Instead, it is an amorphous 'silica gel' or gelatinous precipitate. It is, however, a copper-bearing solid substance which is commonly found in association with minerals such as azurite, malachite, and native copper. In color chrysocolla is green to sky-blue. This coloration is idiochromatic and is due to the presence of the chromophore copper ( Cu ). Chrysocolla is translucent; samples may be of vitreous or glassy luster or appear greasy, dull, or earthy. It is very brittle, sometimes fragile; it has no cleavage, and demonstrates uneven or conchoidal fracture.

Specimens of chrysocolla are typically of massive or earthy habit. The substance may also display reniform or bulbous, botryoidal habit. It lacks macroscopic crystals. Azurite, malachite and chrysocolla are commonly found in the oxidized zones of copper veins and deposits. Rhodocrosite occurs in veins and hydrothermal replacement deposits in the company of manganese minerals as well as other metal ores such as copper. Photos Native copper has been utilized by humans as a natural resource since perhaps 3,400 B.C. The word 'copper' is derived from the Latin cuprum, which was in turn a modification of the Greek name Kyprios. The word Kyprios indicated the island of Cyprus, where the metal was mined in ancient times. Copper is a member of the class of native elements. The minerals of this class either contain only the atoms of a single element or else are metal alloys. A metal alloy may contain two or more metallic elements in solid solution, but its constituent atoms must be bonded only by metallic bonds. Native copper is a metal and its lattice structure contains only elemental copper. Native copper gains its structure and many of its properties from metallic bonds.

When metal atoms bond together into a crystal the valence electrons become delocalized and are free to roam throughout the lattice. The attraction of the positively charged atoms for the surrounding electrons bonds the atoms into an ordered structure. The positive ions surrounded by the negatively charged electron resevoir retain an almost perfectly spherical shape. In a pure metal, these atoms are all of one element and are therefore all of the same atomic radius. Because the atoms are spherical, equally sized, equally charged, and surrounded by negative, delocalized electrons they pack closely together to form a dense and very ordered crystalline structure. Metals tend to be dense and to have a high degree of symmetry. Copper possesses a typically high density of 8.9 g/cm3 . Parallel planes of equally sized and charged atoms may glide across one another, resulting in the softness, malleability, ductility, and sectility which are characteristic of metals and are demonstrated by native copper. As expected, copper is soft, possessing a hardness of 2 1/2 to 3 on the Mohs scale. The many delocalized valence electrons present within a metallic lattice serve as conducting electrons and account for the high conductivity of metals.

Copper, like all native metals, conducts well. Electromagnetic waves cannot propagate through a metal. Instead, they are absorbed and reflected. The absorption index of a metal is very high, and nearly all incident light is reflected. This renders the metal completely opaque and makes it appear shiny and brilliant. Copper is therefore opaque and will not transmit light in thin section; the mineral possesses a typical shiny, reflective metallic luster. In color, native copper consistently demonstrates the familiar and distinctive copper red; its streak is also red in hue. The red of native copper is an example of idiochromatic coloration, or color which is derived directly from the presence of one of the main constituent elements of the mineral. Idiochromatic color is a property which is directly related to the chemical composition of a mineral species and is therefore possessed by all specimens of that species. This characteristic red of native copper is attributable to the presence of copper, which has strong pigmenting capabilities and is the only constituent of the crystal lattice.

(For an introduction to idiochromatism please refer to Section 2 .) Exposed surfaces of native copper crystals may tarnish to black oxide or green carbonate according to the following reaction: 2Cu + O -----------> 2CuCO 3 Native copper has no cleavage and does not tend to break along regular planes. Its fracture is 'hackly', or jagged, containing many small irregularities. The lattice structure occupied by copper is that of cubic closest packing or face-centered cubic. This type of structure is based around a cube on which an atom occupies each of the eight corners. Atoms are emplaced at the center of each of the six exterior faces as well. This is the most dense of all possible lattice structures. (Please refer to the discussion of crystalline lattices in Section 3 .) Native copper is of the isometric crystal system. Isometric crystals possess four three-fold axes of symmetry and are measured against three axes of equal length which occur at right angles to one another. (Please refer to the discussion of crystal system in Section 3 .) Individual copper crystals may may be of cubic, dodecahedral, tetrahedral, and very rarely of octahedral shape.

Aggregates of crystals may be wiry in habit or form a dendritic, arborescent branching structure. (Please refer to the discussion of crystal habit in Section 2 .) Fine mineral specimens with whole individual crystals and well-formed crystal faces are quite rare. The mineral azurite ( Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 ) is an ore of copper, and provided human civilization with one of its earliest sources of this metal. Both azurite and its close relative malachite have been mined for thousands of years. Because of its amazing blue color, azurite has long been used as a pigment in dyes and as a decorative gemstone. The species was named 'azurite' in honor of this distinctive azure blue. The mineral is also called 'chessylite', a name reminiscent of Chessy, France, where large quantities have been mined. Single crystals of azurite are a dark, royal blue; the mineral exhibits a brilliant azure blue color when it is of dull or earthy luster. Its streak is blue. This coloration is idiochromatic and is due to the presence of the chromophore copper, which grants a strong pigmenting effect, within the crystal lattice.

(Please refer to Section 2 for a discussion of idiochromatism and the chromophores.) Azurite's characteristic blue color is useful in identification. Azurite produces some specimens of adamantine luster which are very sparkly and highly translucent with a high refractive index. It forms other samples of vitreous or glassy lustre and medium refractive index; its surface may also be rough, giving a dull, earthy and almost lustreless appearance. Azurite possesses a density of 3.77 to 3.83 g/cm 3 and a Mohs scale hardness of 3 1/2 to 4. Its cleavage is good in two directions; its fracture is conchoidal, or shell-like, resulting in a series of concentric rings about the stressed point. The mineral is of brittle tenacity and is not malleable. Like other minerals of the carbonate class, azurite effervesces slightly in hydrochloric acid. This provides a useful means of identification in the field. In shape azurite crystals may be equidimensional; prismatic, or elongated in one dimension; or tabular, appearing in flat plates.

Aggregates of crystals are frequently botryoidal in habit, having a globular form said to resemble a bunch of grapes. Azurite may also form radiating crusts or earthy masses. (Please refer to the description of crystal habit in Section 2 .) Photos The mineral malachite is a semi-precious stone and a common ore of copper. Its name is derived from the greek term malache, 'mallow', which refers to its leaf green color. Like azurite, malachite has been used for centuries as a pigment in dyes and as a semi-precious stone. Malachite may vary from bright to dark green in color; its streak is consistently light green. The coloration of malachite is idiochromatic and due to the presence of copper within the chemical formula ( Cu2Co3(OH)2 ). Specimens may be of adamantine, silky, or dull lustre. Malachite possesses a density between 3.6 and 4.0 g/cm 3 and a hardness of 3 1/2 to 4 on the Mohs scale. It demonstrates perfect cleavage in one direction; however, this cleavage occurs rarely.

More frequently observed is the conchoidal or splintery fracture. Large individual crystals of malachite are very rare, but may occur in prismatic form. Aggregates of crystals are frequently mammillary, forming smooth, bulbous masses. They may also be botryoidal and globular. They may occur in radial assemblages, forming layers and concentric rings in varying colors of green. Malachite is likewise observed to produce fibrous threads and tufts, stalactitic formations, and earthy, incrusted masses. Distinctive concretionary banding patterns occur in many samples, particularly in botryoidal masses. These are caused by varying oxidation levels in the aqueous solution from which dissolved minerals exsolute. The mechanism by which this occurs is not fully understood. (For a discussion of terms such as 'mammillary', 'botryoidal' and 'concretionary' please refer to the description of crystal habit contained in Section 2 .) Classification and Association of Azurite and Malachite Both azurite and malachite are hydroxide-containing members of the copper carbonate class.

Carbonate minerals compose a class in which ( CO3 ) 2- anions are linked by various cations within the unit cell. Copper carbonates in particular are hydrous carbonate minerals which contain both the copper cation ( Cu2+ ). Azurite possesses the chemical formula Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 ; the formula of malachite is Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 . Azurite and malachite are commonly found together and in conjunction with native copper and other copper ores. Crystal System and Molecular Structure Both azurite and malachite belong to the monoclinic crystal system. Members of this crystal system possess three axes of unequal length, two of which are perpendicular to each other. The end faces are inclined relative to the side faces rather than being orthogonal to them. Such crystals are usually short, having the appearance of a distorted rectangle. (Please refer to the discussion of crystal structure found in Section 3 .) The molecular structure of azurite consists of square groups composed of two ( O2- while azurite possesses a ratio of 1:2 for the same substances.

Since Cu(OH)2 is more highly oxidized than CuCO3 and malachite possesses the higher ratio of this cation, malachite thus occupies a later stage in the oxidation process than does azurite. The more prevalent oxidation of malachite is responsible for its bright green color as compared to the deep blue of azurite. Pseudomorphism in Azurite and Malachite Malachite is more stable than azurite; over time azurite will invert to malachite. Sometimes the external form of the original azurite is preserved during this process. Malachite can thus form a pseudomorph of azurite as azurite unit cells are replaced over time by those of malachite. When a pseudomorph of a crystal forms, the unit cells of the original mineral are gradually replaced cell for cell by those of a new mineral. The original macroscopic crystal shape remains intact, but the chemical substance of which it is composed is now that of a different mineral. Although the external, macroscopic form has been preserved, the internal microscopic structure has changed.

A pseudomorph thus possesses the chemical composition of the new mineral species while its external crystal form preserves the shape of the original, replaced species. A pseudomorph of malachite after azurite retains the same shape as the original azurite crystal but is composed of malachite rather than azurite. The pseudomorph is therefore malachite green in color rather than azurite blue. The chemical formula describing the inversion of azurite to malachite is: 2 Rhodocrosite ( MnCO3 ) is member of the carbonate class and an ore of manganese. Its name is derived from the Greek words rhodon, meaning 'rose', and chros, color. The name was given in reference to the mineral's characteristic rose pink or red color. Rhodocrosite's distinctive pink color is an example of idiochromatism which is due to the presence of the chromophore manganese ( Mn ) in the chemical formula. (Please refer to Section 2 for a discussion of idiochromatism and the chromophores.) This characteristic pink color may darken upon exposure to the atmosphere. Rhodocrosite is known to alter to black manganese oxides or hydroxides.

The mineral displays a white streak. It is translucent and will transmit light diffusely; it possesses a vitreous or pearly luster. Rhodocrosite has a density of 3.4 to 3.6 g/cm 3 and a hardness of 3 1/2 to 4 on the Mohs scale. It is brittle and displays uneven fracture. Like the hydrous copper carbonates azurite and malachite, rhodocrosite is a member of the carbonate class. The carbonate minerals are compounds of a metal or semimetal with the carbonate anion ( CO3)2- . Rhodocrosite is not, however, a hydrous carbonate because it contains neither water ( H2O ) nor the hydroxyl anion ( OH- ). Instead it is a member of calcite group. The minerals of the calcite group possess a simple geometry in which layers of ( CO3)2- radicals alternate with layers of ( 2+ ) metallic cations. Ionic bonds join the carbonate anions to the metallic cations. Rhodocrosite and all calcite group minerals are of rhombohedral crystal system.

Crystals of this system are measured against three vertical axes which intersect one another at 120° angles and one horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the other three. A rhombohedron may be envisioned as an equilateral parallelogram which has been turned up onto one corner. (For more information on crystal systems, please refer to Section 3 .) The cleavage of rhodocrosite is perfect in three directions. Like the cleavage of all minerals of the calcite group, it is rhombohedral. Crystals are rare but may be rhombohedral; more typically the mineral demonstrates botryoidal, encrusting habit. Rhodocrosite is found in veins and hydrothermal replacement deposits in the company of manganese minerals as well as other metal ores. It may alter to manganese oxides or hydroxides. The hydrous silicate chrysocolla ( Cu2H2Si2O5(OH)4 ) is an ore of copper. The name of the species is derived from the Greek words chrysos, meaning gold, and kolla, 'glue'. It was given this name because it strongly resembled a similar material which was once used to solder gold.

Chrysocolla is a hydrous or basic copper silicate because it contains the hydroxyl anion ( OH- ). Unlike true minerals it does not possess a crystalline lattice. Instead it is an amorphous 'silica gel' or gelatinous precipitate. Because it is amorphous and lacks a crystalline structure, chrysocolla is not a mineral in the strictest sense. However, it is a copper-bearing solid substance which is found in the oxidized zones of copper veins and is associated with minerals such as azurite, malachite, cuprite, and native copper. In color chrysocolla is green to sky-blue. This coloration is idiochromatic and is due to the presence of the chromophore copper ( Cu ) within the material. The streak is very pale blue or green. Chrysocolla is translucent and is able to transmit light when sliced into thin sheets. Samples may be of vitreous or glassy luster; they may also appear greasy, dull, or earthy.

Chrysocolla is quite soft, possessing a hardness of 2 - 4 on Mohs scale; it has a density of 2.0 - 2.4 g/cm 3 . It is very brittle, sometimes fragile. It has no cleavage and demonstrates the uneven or conchoidal fracture which is typical of glassy, amorphous materials. This type of fracture displays a series of rounded, concentric rings radiating away from the point of impact. Conchoidal fracture may sometimes be observed on a piece of thick broken glass such as the base of a glass bottle. Specimens of chrysocolla are typically of massive or earthy habit. The substance may also display reniform or bulbous, lumpy botryoidal habit. It lacks macroscopic crystals. An amusing field test may aid in the identification of chrysocolla. When touched to the tongue a specimen of this substance will usually adhere lightly. It sometimes tastes bitter or basic. Copper mining. From ore to copper. Copper can be extracted from its ore by: 1. Traditional mining underground sinking a vertical shaft into the Earth to an appropriate depth and driving horizontal tunnels into the ore . open pit 90% of ore is mined by this method.

Ores near the surface can be quarried after removal of the surface layers. 2. Leaching The ore is treated with dilute sulphuric acid. This trickles slowly through the ore dissolving copper to form copper sulphate. The copper is recovered by electrolytic refining. Advantages of this process are: much less energy is use than in traditional mining no waste gases are given off it can be used on ores with as little as 0.1% copper - for this reason, leaching extraction is growing in importance. Picture 4. Map of copper production. Compare this with the pie chart of production. Picture 5 . Cuprite mineral and a close up of malachite . What's in an ore? There are many types of copper ore found throughout the world. Picture 4 shows the distribution of these deposits. About 80% of all copper extracted comes from sulphide ores. A typical ore contains only 0.5% to 2.0% copper. It is a measure of the value of copper that it is worth extracting it from such small concentrations. The ore is a mixture of minerals and rock (called gangue).

The most common copper minerals are: Mineral elements in copper ore - Feldspar Crusher Sales - XSM machinery Customer Service elements in copper ore elements in copper ore XSM excellent mining crushing machinery products or production line design, the company is committed to building the Chinese brand mine crushing and processing machinery, mainly crusher, mill, sand making our products (elements in copper ore) in more than one hundred of the worldsales of countries and regions. Copper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Ore minerals - Mineralogical Society of America - … ELEMENTS. Aluminum - The ore is mined from rocks that have been exposed to weathering in a ... Copper - Most copper ore bodies are mined from minerals … How copper is made - material, used, processing, … Copper is one of the basic chemical elements. In its nearly pure state, copper is a reddish-orange ... The first mention of the systematic extraction of copper ore ... Copper extraction techniques - Wikipedia, the free … Oxidised copper ore bodies may be ...

the level of deleterious elements such as arsenic, bismuth, lead or tungsten. Because a large portion of copper sulfide ore … Copper Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Copper is one of the elements that can exist free in nature, Jon Zander ... Copper ore deposits are known in North America, South America, and Africa. Copper Ore, Extraction And Properties Of Copper, … Copper ore, extraction and properties of copper, cuprite, matte and blister copper with examples. Transtutors provides email based homework help and assignment … Copper Industry - - Trencome - Copper, the Element and Its Applications. Copper is a metallic element originated in the ... Copper Ore. Currently, most of the available copper appears to be … COPPER (Cu) - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery NATIVE COPPER. Chemistry: Cu, Elemental Copper Class: Elements; Group: Gold; Uses: Minor ore of copper, ornamental stone Specimens It's Elemental - The Element Copper The Element Copper [Click for Isotope Data] ... Large deposits of copper ore are located in the United States, Chile, Zambia, Zaire ...

Copper | Copper Ore, Copper Blister, Copper … Around 3000 B.C., large deposits of copper ore were found on the ... Copper is one of the basic chemical elements. In its nearly pure state, copper is a … Copper, Chemical Element - Overview, Discovery and … Copper was one of the earliest elements known to man. At one time, it could be found lying on ... Converting copper ore to copper metal often involves many … Copper Most copper ore is mined or extracted as copper sulfides. Copper is then ... <a href="://chemicool.com/elements/copper.html">Copper Element … copper, chemical element: Sources and Ores — … Encyclopedia—copper, chemical element Sources and Ores. Small amounts of copper are found uncombined ... The principal ore of copper is chalcopyrite, a sulfide of copper ... Mineral Photos - Copper | Mineral Information Institute Elements; Fun Learning Games; Companies, Groups, & Individuals. Support Materials ...

Copper ore may be found in large deposits, relatively close to the … What element is a blue ore found in copper ore a … Feb 13, 2012 · What element is a blue ore found in copper ore a gremlin by German miners? ChaCha Answer: Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper produce... The Element Copper - The Periodic Table What is Copper as on the Periodic Table? Definition of the Copper Element A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element. The principal ore of copper is ... COPPER 5. Copper, Silver and Gold (ISBN 1-869860-29-2) Contents: Introduction; Copper ores; Reducing copper oxide; Mining and smelting copper ore; Electrical refining … Copper - ThinkQuest Copper is a metal that is found in copper pyrite ore and chalcopyrite. ... This is an element on the Periodic Table of Elements. Color: Brownish red Pictures, stories, and facts about the element Copper … Photographs and descriptions of many samples of the element Copper in the Periodic Table. ... are a by-product of the electrowinning process of refining copper from copper ore.

Copper Ore - BeyondSky Bronzes are mainly copper along with alloying elements such as tin, aluminum, silicon or beryllium. One of the ways of extracting metallic ions from ore is first to ... BORNITE (Copper Iron Sulfide) - Amethyst Galleries' … A favorite among children, the bornite chunks sold as peacock ore or alternatively peacock copper ... Elements Halides Oxides Phosphates Silicates Sulfates … Copper (Cu) - Chemical properties, Health and … The absorption of copper is necessary, because copper is a trace element that is essential for human health. ... But people that live near smelters that process copper ore … rare element ore processing equipment,mining ore … ... in an invaluable byproduct (i e. elements associated with copper, lead, and zinc ores). Some elements ... Copper – Most copper ore bodies are mined from … Copper: The mineral native Copper information and … Native Elements; Metallic Elements: Striking Features: Unique color and crystal habits ... The copper ores are far more abundant than Native Copper, and are the … copper ore and mining of copper ore - COPTECH … copper ore and mining of copper ore . Copper and the copper alloys are some of the most ...

Bronzes are mainly copper along with alloying elements such as tin, … Our products (elements in copper ore) can meet your needs, you are interested in our products or have any questions, you can contact and online customer service, she will answer you with any problems. Copper - Mineral Fact Sheets - Australian Mines Atlas Suggestions for Further Reading Introduction Copper (Cu) has a cultural significance as it was the first metal used by man (probably as early as 7000 BC). Neolithic man mined native copper and used it as a substitute for stone; its malleability enabled easy shaping of tools by beating it. Copper was smelted as early as 3500 BC at Timna in Israel. Its property of alloying with other metals (particularly tin) was discovered about 500 years later and heralded the Bronze Age, which started in southern Europe between 3000 and 2500 BC. Although the manufacture of bronze tools largely fell into disuse with the onset of the Iron Age about 1000 BC, copper continued to be used for its other properties.

As one of only two coloured metals, its beauty makes it highly desirable for making ornaments and its resistance to corrosion makes it suitable for use in, or near the sea. The growth of the copper industry has been intimately linked with the increasing use of electricity with electrical applications continuing to be the metal's principal use which can be attributed to two physical properties. It is an excellent electrical (and heat) conductor and is ductile enough to be drawn into wire and beaten into sheets without fracturing. Copper is used widely in plumbing components and is a major component of alloys, many of which are harder, stronger and tougher than their individual constituent elements. Occurrence The main ore mineral of copper in Australia (and worldwide) is chalcopyrite (CuFeS2). Bornite (Cu5FeS4), covellite (CuS) and chalcocite (Cu2S) are important sources in the world, and many ore bodies also contain some malachite (CuCO3.Cu(OH)2), azurite (Cu3(CO3)2.Cu(OH)2), cuprite (Cu2O), tenorite (CuO) and native copper.

The sulphides, which yield most of the copper produced throughout the world, generally occupy the deeper parts of lodes which have not been exposed to weathering. Near the surface they are altered by oxidation and other chemical actions to the native metal, oxides and carbonates. These secondary copper minerals may form rich ore in the upper parts of many deposits, and, owing to their characteristic green or blue colour, even small amounts are easily seen in the rocks in which they occur. Australian Resources and Deposits Copper is widely distributed in Australia in rocks of Precambrian and Palaeozoic age (more than 250 million years old). Australia's resources of copper are largely at the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit in South Australia and the Mount Isa copper-lead-zinc deposit in Queensland. Other important copper resources are at the Northparkes copper-gold, CSA copper-lead-zinc and Girilambone copper deposits in New South Wales, the Ernest Henry, Osborne and Mammoth copper deposits and copper-gold deposits at Selwyn in Queensland and copper-zinc deposits at Golden Grove and the Nifty copper deposit in Western Australia.

Australia's main copper mining centres are in the Mount Isa/Cloncurry region of Queensland and at Olympic Dam in South Australia. The Mount Isa mine, which also produces large tonnages of lead, zinc and silver, currently is the largest copper producer in Australia and is one of the world's biggest underground mines. At Mount Isa, the copper ore bodies are separate from the lead-zinc-silver ore bodies, thus enabling independent production of the two ore types. Across Australia, relatively small amounts of copper are recovered as a by-product of silver-lead-zinc, nickel and gold mining. Several important copper deposits have been discovered in the past 30 years. By far the largest of these is the copper-uranium-gold deposit discovered in 1975 at Olympic Dam where expanded annual production will soon surpass that at Mt Isa.

Other important discoveries include the Northparkes copper-gold deposit (NSW) in 1977, Cadia copper-gold deposit (NSW) in 1993, Benambra copper-zinc deposit (Vic) in 1978, Scuddles (Golden Grove) copper-lead-zinc deposit (WA) in 1979, Selwyn gold-copper deposit (Qld) in 1980, Nifty copper deposit (WA) in 1983, Eloise copper-gold deposit (Qld) in 1988, Osborne copper-gold deposit (Qld) in 1990, Ernest Henry copper-gold deposit (Qld) in 1991, Tritton copper deposit (NSW) in 1995, and Ridgeway copper-gold deposit (NSW) in 1996. Australia in the World Australia has about 6% of the world's economic copper resources and is ranked third after Chile (25%) and the USA (16%). In production Australia is ranked fifth after Chile, USA, Indonesia and Canada.

Mining and Processing Although large copper deposits are mined by open-cut methods in many of the major producing countries, most of the copper ore produced in Australia comes from underground mines. At some Australian mines, the copper is leached from the ore to produce a copper-rich solution which is later treated to recover the copper metal. At the Mount Gordon mine (formerly Mammoth) at Gunpowder in Queensland the ore is first broken and set out on leach pads where it is dissolved by a sulphuric acid solution to leach out the copper. The copper-rich solution is then pumped to the solvent extraction plant to separate the copper as a copper complex. This is concentrated and the solution is passed to the electrowinning plant to recover the copper. The copper cathodes produced by electrowinning contain 99.99% copper which is suitable for electrical uses. This entire process, known as solvent extraction electrowinning (SX-EW), is used at other mines treating copper oxide ores, most notably at Girilambone and at Nifty. The traditional method used at most mines involves the ore being broken and brought to the surface for crushing.

The ore is then ground finely before the copper-bearing sulphide minerals are concentrated by a flotation process which separates the grains of ore mineral from the waste material, or gangue. Depending on the type of copper bearing minerals in the ore and the treatment processes used, the concentrate can contain between 25 and 57% copper. The concentrate is then processed in a smelter. Smelters are operated at Mount Isa and Olympic Dam. Copper refineries are operated at Townsville, Olympic Dam and Port Pirie (a small refinery subsidiary to the large lead-zinc refinery). Various methods of smelting are used to convert the concentrates to copper metal. One method is to melt them with fluxes in a smelter furnace to produce copper matte, which is a mixture mainly of iron and copper sulphides usually containing 50 to 70% copper. The molten matte is poured into a converter, which contains more fluxes, and converted into blister copper, which is about 98 to 99% pure. The blister copper is tapped, further refined in an anode furnace and finally electrolytically refined to pure cathode copper. At Olympic Dam the concentrate is flash-smelted directly to blister copper.

In this process copper concentrate is fed into the smelter with oxygen-enriched air. The fine concentrate reacts or 'flashes' instantaneously as the sulphur fraction of the copper sulphides is burnt and becomes sulphur dioxide gas. Molten copper and slag fall to the hearth of the smelter. The slag forms a layer on the surface of the molten blister copper. The blister copper is removed periodically for further purifying in an anode furnace and electrolytically refined. Copper is alloyed with other metals to give it special properties. Bronze is an alloy of tin and copper. The earliest bronzes were natural alloys derived from mineral deposits which also contained tin. Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper and is used extensively in marine applications because of its resistance to corrosion. Uses Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity. More than half of the copper consumed is used in electrical generators and motors, electrical power and lighting fixtures, electrical wiring, radio and television sets, computers and almost everything electrical. Copper also conducts heat well and is used for thin-walled copper tubing in air conditioning and refrigeration units, motor vehicle radiators, home heating systems, steam condensers etc.

Copper's corrosion resistance and ease with which it can be joined make it suitable for plumbing fittings and water reticulation systems, automotive fuel lines, sea water desalination plants and hydraulic systems. The blue-green colour of treated timber is the result of copper naphthanate and copper-chrome-arsenate which have been introduced under pressure to help protect the wood from borers. Copper sulphate is used as a fungicide and as a trace element in fertilisers. Copper is used also for making coins and scientific instruments as well as in decorative applications. Suggestions for Further Reading Bester, G. (Ed) 1999 Register Of Australian Mining 1999/00, Resource Information Unit Ltd, Perth. Blainey, G. 1960 Mines In The Spinifex - The Story Of Mount Isa Mines, Angus & Robertson, Sydney. Blainey, G. 1978 The Rush That Never Ended: A History Of Australian Mining, 3rd edition, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.

Question: Bornite and Azurite are ores of which metallic element?
Answer: Copper